A nearly stationary front slowly shifted southward, creating cold air damming conditions on Monday, May 26. Widespread, thick cloud cover, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms, contributed to the cooler-than-normal temperatures, with highs and lows up to ten degrees below normal. Some locations recorded 24-hour rainfall totals exceeding three inches by Monday morning. More widespread showers on Tuesday, combined with the cold air damming conditions, resulted in the coldest day of the period, with maximum temperatures resembling those seen at the beginning of March rather than at the end of May. The National Weather Service station at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport recorded a maximum temperature of 60 degrees, breaking the previous daily low maximum temperature record of 65 degrees set in 1963. Despite the cold air damming conditions eroding on Wednesday, lingering moisture over the region supported scattered shower activity.
The tidal gauge at Charleston Harbor recorded a water level of 7.42 ft. MLLW on Monday evening and 7.38 ft. MLLW on Tuesday evening, resulting in minor to moderate coastal flooding in low-lying areas.
An upper-level disturbance moved through the state ahead of a cold front on Thursday, producing widespread rain and strong to severe thunderstorms. Wind damage was reported in Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland counties. On Friday, May 30, an enhanced risk for severe weather was present as a strong front and an associated line of severe thunderstorms moved through the state during the mid-afternoon. The NWS Columbia Survey Teams determined that a strong microburst with winds of 90 mph uprooted and snapped trees near Swansea in Lexington County and confirmed an EF1 tornado in Clarendon County near Summerton, mainly causing damage to trees and power lines. Additional wind damage was reported across the Midlands and Coastal Plain, with 58-mph wind gusts recorded at the North Myrtle Beach Airport.
Much calmer and drier weather filtered into the region as high pressure settled into the region behind the front during the weekend. Temperatures on Saturday and Sunday were slightly below-normal to near-normal. There was still a layer of smoke aloft from the Canadian wildfires, causing hazy conditions. A weak front moved through the state on Sunday, triggering some isolated showers and thunderstorms in the Upstate.
(Note: The highest and lowest official temperatures and highest precipitation totals provided below are based on observations from the National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observer network and the National Weather Service's Forecast Offices.)| Weekly* | Since Jan 1 | Departure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Airport | 1.43 | 17.77 | -2.0 |
| Greer Airport | 1.79 | 22.04 | 1.4 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 1.24 | 15.06 | -2.9 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 1.89 | 18.83 | 1.9 |
| Orangeburg 2 (COOP) | 3.43 | 22.04 | 2.8 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 2.96 | 19.64 | 1.9 |
| Florence Airport | 2.01 | 14.61 | -1.5 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 1.10 | 11.80 | -3.7 | Charleston Air Force Base | 2.11 | 13.45 | -3.1 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 1.52 | 17.02 | 0.2 |
| *Weekly precipitation totals ending midnight Sunday. M - denotes total with missing values. s - denotes total with suspect data. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia: 71 degrees. Barnwell: 68 degrees. Mullins: 65 degrees.
Most of the state recorded at least half an inch of rain during the period. Widespread totals of two to three inches of rain fell across the Midlands, with some locations reporting over four inches, and some CoCoRaHS observers in Aiken and Orangeburg counties measured more than five inches. Portions of Charleston, Georgetown, and Horry counties received beneficial rain later in the period, with rainfall totals ranging from three to five inches. The rainfall during this period continued to alleviate drought conditions across the state. The U.S. Drought Monitor map, released on Thursday, May 29, indicated the elimination of lingering abnormally dry (D0) conditions in parts of the Midlands. Further improvements were seen in the Lowcountry, and the areas experiencing moderate drought (D1) and D0 conditions across the region decreased since the previous week. Portions of Berkeley, Charleston, Georgetown, and Horry counties remained in severe drought (D2) due to the prolonged dry conditions.
The 14-day average streamflow values continued to indicate normal to above-normal levels. Despite the additional precipitation during this period, water levels at most river gauges continued to recede. Tidal gauges reported elevated water levels at the beginning of the period, with minor to moderate coastal flooding due to the May King Tide cycles.
